Always and Forever
by Nesserz
Summary: Popularity is a privilege right? More like a disadvantage. At least that's how Lizzie sees it. She's miserable and she just wants to get her friends back and goes to some interesting lengths in getting them back. But will they forgive her this time?
1. Default Chapter

~~Always and Forever~~  
  
~~Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Lizzie characters. Disney does, the awful awful people that aren't making anymore Lizzie episodes. Grr.lol.  
  
~CrEdiT~~ Ok, now I had to do this. I was forced people! Lol not really but it's the right thing to do! The idea of Lizzie and Kate trading places comes from Andi (Imagination-Nation) I was stumped for ideas and she was nice enough to let me choose one of hers and use it. I chose this one because I thought that it would be really fun to write and it is proving to be! So without further ado, I bring you, Always and Forever (which by the way is my title, I didn't wanna borrow that of Andi's too!) In reality I only borrowed a sentence or too, so the rest is the brilliance of my mind! Lol. Or stupidity.either way you want to look at it.  
  
"Matt!" I screamed as I tore around the house after my younger brother. "Give that back! It isn't yours!" I skidded to a halt at the kitchen table. Matt was on the other side brandishing a photo at me. He looked critically at it and pretended to tear it in half. I could feel a lump rising in my throat.  
  
"Matt, please." I whispered frantically. The last thing I needed right now was my parents to come into the room to see what all the commotion was about. I gave him the puppy eyes, hoping that he would fall for them.  
  
"Puh-lease Lizzie, oldest trick in the book." He said. I thought about what I could do to get the photo back. Then grinning wickedly I ran upstairs again towards my brothers room and rifled through his cupboard until I found his baseball card collection. Then I ran back to my own room and grabbed my matches from my bedside table and lit one and held it up to the sticker covered folder and waited for Matt to come looking for me. He did.  
  
"Ah! Lizzie! No.I'll.I'll do anything, just don't do that. You really don't want to do that." He said, panic evident in his voice. I didn't want to do it? Yeah right! I'd love to do it but I know that I would be grounded forever if I did. Still, it didn't mean that I wasn't going to have a little fun with it while I could.  
  
I dangled the book over the match, lifting it higher then dropping it closer to the match, watching the reactions fly over Matt's face. Horror, relief, horror, relief. I put the folder behind my back and looked at Matt expectantly.  
  
"So?" I said raising an eyebrow at my terrified younger brother.  
  
"I.I under estimated you Lizzie, I mean wow, I must have rubbed off on you, this is something I would do. I wish I had thought of it myself." He said shrugging. Oh! The little monster.  
  
"Just give me the photo before I torch your beloved collection." I said, bringing to book into sight again.  
  
"Ok ok!" he said thrusting the photo towards me. "You win. This time." He said, laughing like a maniac as he hugged his treasure to his chest. I rolled my eyes and pushed him out the door and shut it behind him and walked back towards my bed and flopped down on it, looking at the photo and smiling.  
  
It was a photo of Gordo and me. We were lying side by side under a willow tree, the leaves swishing too and fro around us. It was my favourite tree in the whole park. Both of my best friends knew this. If I was upset, this was where I would go. On this particular day my friends and I had decided to ship the Digital Bean in favour of having a picnic under this tree. We had been goofing around and I had no idea but Miranda had bought a camera with her and while I was goofing off with Gordo, she had taken a picture of us. I was laughing my head off and Gordo was smiling at me, holding a flower out to me. Just a simple little daisy, the simple little daisy that is to this day, pressed between the pages of my diary. It was perfect. Do you know how hard it is to find a perfect daisy that hasn't been trodden on of squished by some little kid in a park? Yet, Gordo had found one. For me. Miranda had captured the moment perfectly. Sure it was just a friendly moment but there was no way that I could let my parents see that photo, I can see it now. My Dad.  
  
"Lizzie? Gordo is just a friend isn't he?" then to my Mum in an undertone he would say, "Isn't he?" as if Mum would hold all the answers. Which, most probably she would. She'd give him a look then turn to me smiling gently,  
  
"I'm sure that if something was going on between you and Gordo you would tell us wouldn't you sweetie? Of course it is you're choice, so don't tell us unless you are comfortable with it. Or you could just tell me." she'd add in an undertone to me and wink then walk off with my Dad following her, asking what she had told me that he couldn't hear. She would just act like she hadn't heard him; I can predict my parents so well. I have been for the last fifteen years anyway.  
  
I looked back at the photo then at the one that I had pinned up on my notice board. It had been taken the same day as the other photo, but Miranda was in this one. We had asked a passer by to take a photo of us. It was amazing. It seemed to capture everything special about the day. That photo could be shown to my parents. It was of the three of us. The Three Amigos. Always and forever.  
  
***  
  
"Hey Lizzie!" Miranda greeted me cheerfully as I walked up to her at the bottom of the stairs at the entrance of Hillridge High. I smiled at her and enveloped her into a hug as we jumped around giddily. We hadn't even noticed Gordo walk up until he decided to comment on our public display of affection.  
  
"Hey, is this a private.Um.gathering or can anyone join in?" he asked laughing slightly as we abruptly let go of each other. I looked at Miranda and she looked at me, winked and we both lunged at Gordo, knocking him backwards and onto the grass, laughing like idiots.  
  
"Well." He said, a grin on his face. "Apparently it isn't a private party." We all erupted into laughter again as Kate chose that exact moment to walk past.  
  
"Well, if it isn't Lizzie and her little friends. On the ground where you belong I see McGuire." She said, flipping her hair over her shoulder. I rolled my eyes and stood up, looking her right in the face.  
  
"I may be on the ground Kate." I said, glaring at her. "But at least I am having fun with my friends. Do you know what either of those things are?" I said challenging her.  
  
"I have people, I don't have friends." She said snootily and walked off. I stood there, my mouth hanging open. I bet her "people" were really happy to hear that they weren't her friends. But then again, they probably think the same thing of Kate. I turned back to Miranda and Gordo to see that they were standing there looking at me with strange looks on their faces. What?  
  
"What?"  
  
"It's just.I remember in the seventh grade there was no way that you could do that and now.well look at you!" Gordo said, gesturing to me. I could feel a slight blush rise up in my cheeks so I shrugged and led the way up the stairs and into the school. I bit the inside of my cheek to stop grinning like a mad idiot at the comment that Gordo had made.  
  
***  
  
So.what did you think? I'm not that wrapped in it but if people like it then who am I to complain? Lol.  
  
So happy! I've just seen the trailer for the new Harry Potter movie!!! I'm such a fan if you couldn't tell by the over punctuated word.  
  
Nesserz.  
  
Summary: Popularity is a privilege right? More like a disadvantage. At least that's how Lizzie sees it. She's miserable and she just wants to get her friends back and goes to some interesting lengths in getting them back. But will they forgive her this time? 


	2. Chapter 2

~Always and Forever~  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Lizzie McGuire or her friends. Those oh-so lovely people at Disney do. =)  
  
Dear Diary,  
Have you ever had one of those days when every thing feels like a dream? Well today I did. It was so strange. Everyone was acting so differently. It was like they were seeing me, Lizzie McGuire in a whole new light. Like they'd never seen me at all before. I was late to English and we had Mrs. Doberman (which I think is extremely funny, seeing as it's a dog's name and she act's like a.well you know what I mean) and she didn't even tell me off! I was at least expecting a note home to my parents but no. Nothing! I slid into my seat between Miranda and Gordo and looked at them both in turn but they just shrugged. It seemed that they knew even less than I did. I just sat out the lesson thinking about what possibly have happened. I never have luck this good. It just doesn't happen to people like me.  
  
That wasn't the strangest part of the day. When lunchtime came, I prepared to go sit over at my usual table with my friends and I was stopped by the Cheerleaders of all people and they invited me to sit with them. I started to protest but as I was they pulled me towards their table and who should be siting there but Miranda and Gordo. Now I knew something was definitely up. We are never invited to sit with the Cheerleaders. Not if Kate had anything to do with it anyway. I looked around for her, confused beyond belief. It was then explained to the three of us that Kate was no longer welcome at the table. But why? That's what I wanted to know. Apparently though, no one felt like telling me. Instead of asking questions I just sat and ate my lunch with my friends and the Cheerleaders. If it hadn't been so weird, I would have laughed.  
  
I've tried looking at it all logically but there just is no logical explanation. The way I see it, I'll just go along with it while it lasts. Could be a lot of fun.  
  
I'll keep you posted Diary,  
  
Love Lizzie.  
  
I closed my diary with a snap, locked it and placed it into my fake book bag and put it onto the chair by my bed. Hey, every girl needs her privacy and you don't get that when Matt McGuire is around, so Mum and I devised a plan. We got a replica of my book bag that I put my Diary in and Matt just thinks it's got reading books in it. He's none the wiser. Mum and I are the only ones that know about it because she understands how important it is for a girl to have her privacy. My Mum's good like that.  
  
I was home by myself and I was bored so I picked up my phone and dialled Miranda's number. I twirled the phone cord around my fingers. Just a bad habit I have. I usually adopt it with I'm nervous so I don't really know why I was doing it at that moment.  
  
"Hello?" I heard Mrs. Sanchez say into the phone.  
  
"Oh hi Mrs. Sanchez, is Miranda home?" I asked politely.  
  
"Oh Hello Lizzie. Of course. I'll just get her for you. Hang on a moment." I heard her muffle the phone and yell up the stairs to Miranda. A few seconds later I heard the phone being picked up elsewhere and Miranda's voice come onto the line.  
  
"Hola Lizzie." She said breathlessly.  
  
"Hey 'Randa, what were you doing?" I asked, indicating the shortness of her breath.  
  
"Oh, chasing my little sister around the second landing. She's supposed to be having a bath but apparently she doesn't want too." She said, probably rolling her eyes in the process.  
  
"I see. Hey wanna get Gordo on the other line?" I asked, flicking a piece of fluff off of my comforter.  
  
"Sure. Hang on a sec." I heard her change lines and then both of my friend's voices came over the line.  
  
"Hey Lizzie," Gordo said just as Miranda said, "I'm back."  
  
I grinned into the receiver. Our three way calling was the one thing that could usually cheer me up after a bad day or as today was, a weird day.  
  
"So.what do you guys make of today?" I said, biting my lip. I was hoping that I wasn't making a big deal out of nothing, that would be really embarrassing.  
  
"Today was.incredibly weird. I wondered if I was the only one to notice." Gordo said, confirming how I felt. That's the good thing about having a logical friend. They can always put things into perspective for you when you can't yourself. "How or why do you think it happened?" I asked him, expecting his logical side to kick in.  
  
Any moment now.  
  
Going to happen reeeeeeal soon.  
  
"I've got no idea Lizzie. Sorry"  
  
Or not at all. Now is when we panic. When the logical friend doesn't have a logical explanation!  
  
"There has to be a reason for people treating me like an equal!" I burst out, upset that I was no closer to finding out what was going on. I'm not one of these people who can go through life not knowing what's going on. I need to have thing explained to me!  
  
"I'm sure there is Lizzie, but until there is, I say go with the flow. I know that sounds extremely corny, but for this instance, it's perfect. If the cheerleaders have decided to adopt you and dump Kate, then it's all good! Maybe they've just finally realised what idiots they were not to accept you as one of them before."  
  
Miranda said, obviously hoping to cheer me up, it didn't. "Accept me as one of them?" what was I? A clone?! Miranda must have realised what she had said because she tried to back track and fix it.  
  
"What I meant to say Lizzie, is that why question it? It could be a lot of fun. Rub you're popularity into Kate's face. That's what she's been doing to us all these years. Just think, it's the perfect way to put Kate in her place. Make things right. Make the world a better place."  
  
I laughed, I could just picture Gordo rolling his eyes and Miranda smiling dreamily, thinking of what could be if I decided to pursue being popular. I must admit, she's right. I could achieve so much. I'd do it.  
  
"You're right Miranda. I'm just gonna "go with the flow" as you put it."  
  
"Yes!!!" she cried out happily as Gordo groaned.  
  
"Oh! I've gotta go you guys; have to convince my sister into having a bath. Maybe if I tell he the Boogie man is attracted to smelly little girls, I won't have to tie her in." Miranda said more to herself than to us.  
  
"Miranda!" I said indignantly, laughing all the same. I heard Gordo laughing too and we said goodbye to her and stayed talking ourselves.  
  
"So Lizzie." Gordo said quietly into the phone. I strained to hear him.  
  
"Just.don't let this popularity stuff go to your head ok? Don't forget the little people."  
  
"Like I'm gonna forget the little people! I am not going through this alone! You and Miranda are coming along with me for the ride!"  
  
"I.what? No way, that was not what I was trying to do. You know I don't care what other people think."  
  
"Good! Then you won't mind sitting with us." I said cheerfully. I heard my Mum call up to me from the bottom of the stairs, telling me that dinner was ready.  
  
"Hey listen Gordo, I promise I won't forget you ok? You're one of the Amigo's, the amigos do not forget each other. I've got to go to dinner, see you tomorrow?" I said.  
  
"Sure Lizzie. The Amigo's: Always and Forever right?" he asked, sounding a little uncertain. I however was totally certain.  
  
"Always and Forever." I said and hung up.  
  
Nesserz. 


	3. Chapter 3

~Always and Forever~  
  
Disclaimer: Nothing's changes since the last chapter; I still don't own anything; except for.well no I don't own anything.  
  
"Ugg.What is this stuff? Can they legally make us eat it?" I asked as I speared a piece of food that looked like it might once have been a piece of meat. Frankly, I was disgusted. I looked over to see Miranda sharing the same look as me. I looked to Gordo who was sniffing at it.  
  
"Maybe it's not as bad as it looks." He said without any real conviction. He put the fork to his mouth and chewed thoughtfully on the food that had previously been on his fork.  
  
"Ok, so maybe it is as bad as it looks." He said as he took a mouthful of his soda and making a crude face. Miranda and I laughed but stopped as the resident cheerleaders walked up to us.  
  
"I thought you were eating lunch with us today Lizzie?" Michelle, the leader of the "pack" addressed me.  
  
"Well you know, decided it was time for a change of scenery." How lame can I get? Lucky for me their so air headed that sarcasm (or anything for that matter) doesn't register with them.  
  
"You're right Lizzie." One of the other girls, Sarah her name was said smiling sweetly at me. I returned the smile, when I saw Kate on the other side of the cafeteria eating alone.  
  
I had just pushed my plate away when Ethan Craft walked over to our table. Well he didn't really walk, he sauntered. I had just enough time to catch Gordo's eye roll before Ethan sat down beside me.  
  
"Hey Lizz-ay. How's it goin'?" he asked me, running a hand through his hair. His perfect hair.  
  
"It's going.fantastic actually Ethan. How's it going for you?"  
  
"It's fantastic for me too. Fan-Lizzie-tastic actually." He said whilst grabbing a fry off of Miranda's plate and popping it into his mouth.  
  
Fan Lizzie tastic? Huh? What's that about?  
  
"What do you mean Ethan?" I asked, smiling at him.  
  
"What do I mean about what? Ohhh the Lizzie comment. Well word has it that you are a very popular lady Lizzie. I already know that I am a very popular fellow so I was thinking that maybe we should hook up one night?"  
  
Ethan Craft was asking me out on a date? What happened to there not being any "Chemistry" between us? I guess popularity changes everything. Well there was no way I was going to go out with someone just because I was popular.  
  
"Sure Ethan. When and where?" I heard myself say. What happened to saying no? It's not every day that I get asked out by popular guys. Let alone Ethan Craft. What harm could it do?  
  
"Great. How about.a few weeks from now, I'm all booked up at the moment. But I'll make a special reservation for you." He said grinning at me. He stood up, removed his jacket and placed it around my shoulders.  
  
"A little something to remember me by." He said as he winked and walked off. I looked at Miranda and squealed with her. Gordo mimicked Ethan's wink at me and I felt a strange tingling sensation in the area of my stomach but I shook it off as un-edible cafeteria food.  
  
"This is so cool! I can't believe you just accepted a date from Ethan Craft! Way to go Lizzie!" Miranda said, slapping my high five. I couldn't believe it either. It was so amazing. This whole popular thing was really beginning to pay off.  
  
"Come on Lizzie, the guy is in love with his hair and he has to schedule a time for you two to go on a date. Wouldn't you think that he would put you first. I know I would." He said, poking at his food.  
  
"What do you mean you'd put me first?" I said half shocked, half amused.  
  
"Huh? Oh I just meant in general. If I had other arrangements, I'd put them off for a girl. I definitely wouldn't ask her out knowing that I had other stuff planned and that she'd have to be pushed to the back burner." He said making a face and shaking his head. That was so sweet. But yet so strange. I've never heard Gordo talk about dating and stuff, not since the incident with Brooke.  
  
***  
  
I sat in a booth by myself at the Digital Bean reading a book that I had picked up from the Library. We needed to read a novel that appealed to us, then do a book report on it the next week. It was a really cool book too, it was about this girl and her family and they travel all around the world, never staying in one place for very long. I would love that kind of life except I'd have to leave my friends behind and oh yeah, I'd be going with my family which would mean Matt twenty-four seven. At least I can get away from him at school!  
  
I turned the page and looked up briefly to see Gordo coming towards me. He offered up a smile and stopped at the edge of the table.  
  
"This seat taken?" he asked, gesturing stupidly to the chair opposite me.  
  
"Oh course not you dirk." I said, closing my book, and placing it into my bag next to me on the table.  
  
"So, what brings you down here?" I asked folding my arms on the table and facing Gordo. He shrugged.  
  
"Smoothie with drawals." He says, grinning slightly at me.  
  
"Oh but of course. How could I not know that?" I said, smacking my self in the forehead in a "doh" kind of way. He laughed then looked down at the Menu on the table.  
  
"Hey Gordo, you're not upset about me going on this date with Ethan are you?" I asked, biting my lip.  
  
"Personally, I think you could do a lot better but hey it's you're life, who am I to tell you what to do." He said, looking up at me from the Menu. I frowned slightly at him.  
  
"But you don't like Ethan do you?" I asked. Well duh McGuire! He never has!  
  
"No not exactly but you choose who you date so it's really none of my business."  
  
"Yeah.but it matters to me what you think, I wouldn't want you to be upset by me dating him."  
  
"If it's ok with you Lizzie, then it's ok by me." he said smiling at me to reassure me. It worked.  
  
I lunged forward and hugged him around the neck. I was so relieved that he wasn't annoyed or anything. Then things would really suck.  
  
"Thanks so much Gordo! It really means a lot that you're ok with this." I said, squeezing him tightly around the neck. Judging by the lack of words coming from his mouth, I'd say too tight.  
  
"Woah.no problem Lizzie. I didn't know you cared so much." He said, wiping a false tear from the corner of his eye. I slapped him gently on the arm and we talked for hours about nothing in particular. The next time I looked at the clock I realised that I needed to be home in twenty minutes.  
  
"I'll walk you." Gordo said standing up. I stood up too and we left through the doors of the DB and walked in the direction of my house.  
  
"So Lizzie.How's this whole popularity thing treating you?" he asked casually as he shoved his hands into his pockets and glanced at me sideways.  
  
"To tell you the truth, It's not that exciting is it? I mean I think it's just getting started really. Not that many people seem to have noticed me. Not as much as they did Kate anyway." I said looking back at Gordo.  
  
"Maybe that's cos you're a nice person, Kate isn't.or rather wasn't. I actually saw her talking to a "loser" yesterday. Must say it was very degrading." He said shaking his head slightly.  
  
"Yeah. Well if this is popularity, then it's pretty boring." I said as we reached my front door.  
  
"Well I guess this is goodbye," he said in mock sadness. "Parting is such sweet sorrow." He said holding a hand up. I rolled my eyes.  
  
"You're supposed to quote dead guys, albeit Shakespeare when you love someone Gordo." I said as I turned the doorknob. I looked at him and saw him shrug and walk down our front path grinning to himself. I shrugged it off and went inside.  
  
***  
  
Oh my first reviewer! The feeling never changes when I open up my inbox and find reviews! Gotta love the bot @ fan fiction. Lol. Yes, I know I am weird.  
  
Thanks Andi! You made my day. You really did! 


	4. Chapter 4

~Always and Forever~  
  
Disclaimer: This is beginning to get a little repetitive and I really don't like to repeat myself. Really, I don't like to repeat myself over and over and over and.well you get the drift.  
  
"Yo Lizzie!" I heard a voice call out to me from across the hall. I turned to the source to find Ethan waving at me frantically. I smiled and waved back and walked over to him.  
  
"Hey Ethan, how are you?" I asked him, taking in what he was wearing. Khaki cargo pants with tons of pockets and a knit sweater. Let's just say that it did a lot for him.  
  
"I'm great and you will be too in a few minutes. I've found a spot for our date! I was supposed to be going dirt bike riding with my older bro but it looks like his bike isn't going to be ready in time so we can go on our date! Isn't that awesome?" he asked, clearly happy with himself. I resisted the urge to laugh and answered him instead.  
  
"That's great Ethan. When?" I asked, noticing that he had forgotten to mention that part.  
  
"Oh right. This Saturday night. I thought Spaghetti and a Movie."  
  
"Spaghetti?" I asked him curiously.  
  
"Yeah! Ever since I got to eat it in the land of Spaghetti I've grown addicted to it! So how about it?"  
  
"Sure, sounds great. Pick me up at my house at seven?" I asked him.  
  
"Perfect, see you then." I didn't have the heart to point out to him that we would be seeing each other before then since we had our next class together so I didn't. I closed my locker and turned around and found myself face to face with Kate.  
  
"You may be going on a date with Ethan, but that doesn't make you popular. Popularity is a privilege, not a right." She said snootily. Wow, not popular and still a snob.  
  
"Maybe not Kate, but it's annoying you isn't it? All the more reason for me to keep going don't you think?" I said just as snootily back to her and I walked off. I was not in the mood for dealing with Kate right now. I had a date with one of the cutest guys in the whole school. I wasn't going to let her bring me down.  
  
I walked into class and took my seat. I looked up to see why the teacher wasn't taking attendance to see Mr. Dig standing there! I hadn't seen him since Middle School. And he hadn't changed.  
  
"Hello class. I'm sure you'll be pleased to know that Mrs. Casway will not be coming into class today although she has left me some notes on what she want's you guys to do," he picked up a piece of paper from his desk and read from it. "Ok, apparently you guys have a project that you are working on and she just says to continue with that and if you've finished it's free choice. Not get to work or doing whatever." He added as an after thought. I pulled my novel from my backpack and opened to where I was up to and started reading. It was getting really good last night and I had to put it down because it was past my bedtime. I tried reading but was finding that I was reading the same passage over and over again. Sighing I put it down and turned to Miranda and Gordo who were talking about their projects.  
  
"Ahh, she returns from the land of books." Gordo said in an all-knowing voice. One that easily irritates me. But today I shrugged it off.  
  
"Guess what you guys?" I said giddily. I was beginning to feel that familiar tugging feeling when I had a crush on a guy. Surely I didn't like Ethan again? I mean this date is just as friends right? I hope he realises and thinks that. It's just for fun. I know that then why am I getting so giddy?  
  
"I despise guessing games." Gordo said in a bored voice, clearly imitating Scar from The Lion King movie. I stuck my tongue out at him and turned to Miranda who looked as giddy as I felt.  
  
"Ethan finalised our date. We're going out to dinner and a Movie!" I said containing a squeal that was bubbling up in my throat.  
  
"Coolies!" Miranda said slapping me a high five.  
  
"Wow, I mean brilliant. I don't think anyone's ever thought of that before Lizzie, you should feel really special," Gordo said then flinched at the look Miranda gave him. "You're really got yourself a good one there. Don't let him go!" he said in mock seriousness, shaking a finger at me. I laughed slightly and spoke to him.  
  
"I won't Gordo, I really won't, and I think that Ethan may very well be the one for me." I said keeping a straight face. I had to fight extremely hard as I saw his face whiten. When I couldn't hold it in any more I burst out laughing.  
  
"Oh wow Gordo! You should have seen the look on your face! Priceless. I wish I had a camera." I managed to get out between my laughter. Miranda had noticed too and was laughing with me. Gordo just reddened slightly and mumbled a few incoherent sentences.  
  
"Something wrong Mr. Gordon?" I heard a voice behind me ask. I had completely forgotten that we were in the classroom that was so loud that no one would have heard our conversation anyway. It had to have been Mr.Dig behind us. And it was.  
  
"Everything's fine Mr.Dig, Lizzie just played a very sick joke on me." he said mock glaring in my direction. At least I hope it was a mock glare.  
  
"So it's still The Three Amigo's I see?" He said smiling fondly at us. I looked at Miranda and she shrugged leaving me to answer.  
  
"It sure is Mr Dig. You'll be hard pressed to see us divided." I said, what else could I say?  
  
"Yes, I believe you are right Miss McGuire." He said clasping his hands together in his lap.  
  
We all stared at each other until he seemed to get the hint that there was nothing more to be said and he stood up.  
  
"I hope to see that you three are still best friends in the many years to come. I've never seen such a strong friendship." He said and walked away. I could have sworn I saw him wipe a tear away from his eye.  
  
***  
  
"Mum! Have you seen my denim skirt?" I hollered down the stairs of my house. I waited from a response but didn't get one so I stomped down stairs looking for my Mum. Turned out she was outside reading a book in the hammock. Not very often you see my Mum sitting still. She's always on the go running after Matt and me. I almost didn't want to bother her but I really needed my skirt!  
  
"Mum! Have you seen my long denim skirt? I asked her, standing next to the hammock expectantly.  
  
"It's hanging in your closet." She said without hesitation. Well I didn't even look in there. Since when does she hang my skirts?  
  
"Thanks Mum, you're the greatest!" I said, running back to my room. Sure enough it was where she said it was. I pulled it off its hanger and slipped into it and did up the buttons on it. I went back to my closet and rifled through my tops looking for something suitable to wear. What does a person wear to Spaghetti and a movie?! I have no clue. I pulled out a shirt with "Spaghetti" straps and laughed, thinking that was just wrong and instead pulled out a soft pink shirt that was in this soft material and had flared sleeves. It had a pattern of small white daisies around the bottom of the sleeves, neckline and around the bottom of the shirt. Perfect. I pulled it over my head and then turned to my hair. I decided to leave it down and wavy, pulling a few strands back securing them with a daisy hairclip. I twirled around in front of the mirror. Next I applied my makeup and some lip-gloss for this finishing touch. I turned to walk out my bedroom door but came face to face with Gordo.  
  
"Woah! Way to scare a girl!" I said, placing a hand over my heart, trying to calm myself down.  
  
"Sorry, that wasn't my intention," He said sincerely. "Wouldn't want to harm the lovely lady before her big date would I? Which, I might add, you look amazing for." He said looking me up and down. I could feel myself blushing, he noticed it too I can tell but he didn't say anything.  
  
"Ethan's going to be knocked off his feet." He said smiling at me.  
  
"Lets hope so." I said, checking my reflection again, hoping that I really did look as good as Gordo said I did.  
***  
  
No comment this time. Apart from that.  
  
Nesserz. 


	5. Chapter 5

~Always and Forever~  
  
Disclaimer: Do I really have too? But I dun wanna.  
  
"Yo Lizzie? Oh I came to see Lizzie, is she here?" Ethan asked from the doorway. I laughed and walked out the door closing it behind me.  
  
"It is me Ethan, don't be silly." I said, turning around so he could see it was me, and if he needed any more convincing he got it because at that moment I lost my balance and fell into his arms.  
  
"Woah, you all right?" he asked, steadying me again. How embarrassing! Gordo had probably seen that from my lounge room window. He told me that he had been invited over by Matt to have a video night. Personally, I think he's insane for willingly spending time with my brother. But hey what can you do?  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine thanks Ethan, lets just go yeah?" I asked, trying to cover my clumsiness.  
  
We walked out to the street where this beautiful white limo was parked. I was all set to admire and walk past when Ethan held open a door for me.  
  
"We're.going in that?" I asked, totally astounded.  
  
"Well, sure. But if you don't want to we don't have too." He said, about to close the door again.  
  
"No no! I mean, I'd love to go in that. I just never dreamed that we would be going out to Spaghetti and a movie in a limo! I said controlling a squeal as it threatened to bubble up from my throat. I wished that everyone could see me right now. It would send me on the way to popularity for sure!  
  
Ethan held the door and I climbed in then he followed me in, pulling the door shut behind him. The limo ride didn't last nearly long enough, the way I saw it but once we got to the restaurant the ride was completely out of my head. We had been brought to Linguini's the new Spaghetti restaurant in town. I laughed slightly at the hungry look on Ethan's face. He grabbed me by the hand and pulled me inside. We chose a table by the window, so that we could look outside at the beautiful garden out there with fairy lights sprinkled here and there.  
  
Ethan seemed to know what he wanted straight away so I looked down at the Menu as he waited for a waiter to come over to us. Everything and I mean everything had at least some form of pasta spaghetti in it. I had to bite my lip to stop laughing. Trust Ethan to love a place like this. If he ever tries to take me here for breakfast, I will draw the line. Soon enough the waiter (Mitchell) walked up to our table.  
  
"Ahh Ethan, back again I see? This time with a lovely lady I see?"  
  
"One of the loveliest." Ethan said flashing a grin at me. "I'll have the Spaghetti and Meatballs." Ethan said with relish.  
  
I glanced down at my Menu again, and looked back to the waiter.  
  
"Uh what do you suggest? I asked, having no clue what half the fancy names even meant.  
  
"Personally I recommend the Spaghetti Platter." He said smiling gently at me. I feel so out of place here!  
  
"Well I'll have that then thank you." I said, putting my Menu back on the table.  
  
"I will be back with your meals soon." Mitchell said snootily. Someone like this liked Ethan?  
  
***  
  
"Penny for your thoughts Ethan?" I said looking across at him. We had finished dinner about an hour ago and had relocated to out side to the lovely garden. Ethan had been leaning on the railing with me and had stopped talking about how amazing Spaghetti was about twenty minutes ago. I didn't really mind, I had been thinking too about different things and hadn't really noticed how quiet it was.  
  
"Hmm? Oh, just thinking." I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. It wouldn't be very polite if I did.  
  
"Yeah.what about if you don't mind me asking?" I prodded gently.  
  
"Just this girl." He said. then seemed to realise that he was talking to his date about a girl who definitely wasn't her. "I mean." he seemed to be searching frantically for the right thing to say. Me? I was relieved, least I knew that he didn't have a crush on me if he was thinking about another girl whilst on a date with me.  
  
"Go ahead Ethan, I know you don't like me it's ok, because. Well I don't really like you that way either." I said, trying to be nice about it but having it come out all wrong anyway, but he seemed to understand.  
  
"Ok. Well this girl, I've known her for a long time but I don't think she knows it. We did try dating once but id didn't work out and now I think that she may possibly hate me. I know it didn't work then but I really care about her and want to give it another go but I don't know how to tell her." He said looking hopeless.  
  
"I don't know who she is but I do know that any girl would be crazy to turn you down for a date.so why don't you ask her out like you did me? Why did you ask me out by the way if you didn't like me?" I asked, I didn't mean to turn this around to be about me but I wanted to know.  
  
"Don't be mad.but I thought that asking you out might make her jealous and then she'd want to give things another go. " he grinned sheepishly at me. I smiled back. I put a comforting arm on his shoulders and looked in the same direction that he had taken to staring at and said the first thing that came to my mind:  
  
"Ethan, I don't know what this girl is like, but I say follow you're heart and do what you think it best. It will all work out in the end, I'm sure." Actually I wasn't sure, but I find that when someone says those words to me, then everything turns out all right.  
  
He turned to look at me and stood up fully and hugged me.  
  
"Thanks Lizzie McGuire. You rock." I hugged him back, dimly thinking about how amazing this would have been a few years ago. On the plus side if dinner hadn't been that amazing, I had made myself a true friend. Even if it was Ethan "perfect hair" Craft.  
  
***  
  
"I'm sorry about the movie Lizzie, you don't mind that we blew it off do you?" Ethan asked from the back seat of the limo as it pulled up to the curb outside my house.  
  
"Not at all, in fact that Spaghetti filled me up, I don't think I could eat popcorn too!" I said laughing.  
  
"Cool, I'm glad you're not miffed. It's just I wanna sort out how I'm gonna get my lady and It's gonna take a while. Just for the record, can we not tell anyone cool that we didn't finish our date? It wouldn't look good on my dating resume." He said scratching his chin thoughtfully. I laughed and waved good night.  
  
"No problem Ethan. Consider it done." I walked up to the front of my house and let myself in.  
  
"Take that!" I heard Matt yell to someone. I stuck my head around the corner to see him and Gordo sitting on the couch with a bowl of popcorn between them, eyes glued to the TV screen. I grinned and sat down between them, putting the bowl on my lap.  
  
"Woah!" Gordo said as he brushed against my arm, reaching for the popcorn. He clicked the light on beside him to look at me.  
  
"Man Lizzie, don't do that!"  
  
"Do what? Come into my house and sit on my couch and eat the popcorn that probably belongs to me to some degree?"  
  
"Shut up." He said, flicking a piece of popcorn at me. Soon it was an all out war of popcorn flying everywhere. I was laughing so hard that I could barely breathe and I fell sideways onto Gordo and he started tickling me, which made it even worse.  
  
"Gordo no! Come on, I had Spaghetti for tea. I've already seen it, I do not wish to see it again." I said gulping for air.  
  
"Good point," he said straightening up "So how was your date with Prince Ethan?" he asked, seemingly interested.  
  
"It was.interesting."  
  
"What? No details?" he asked gasping in surprise. I poked my tongue out at him and put a handful of popcorn down his shirt.  
***  
  
For chapters and I have two reviewers. How sad lol. Why is it that no one seems to like my Lizzie stories until I've nearly finished posting them?!  
  
Nesserz. 


	6. Chapter 6

~Always and Forever~  
  
Disclaimer: Not even going to bother. Really I'm not.  
  
"Is it just me, or is everyone staring at me?" I whispered to Miranda as we walked down the crowded corridor together. I looked nervously at her sideways and she surveyed the people around us.  
  
"Well Lizzie, I can safely say that it's not you. Everyone is staring at you."  
  
Well that made me feel better. Not.  
  
"Look, that's the girl that went out with Ethan Craft!"  
  
"Are they an item?"  
  
"I hope not! I want to go out with him!"  
  
"She's sooo lucky! I wish I was her."  
  
I heard snippets of people's conversation as we walked. I remember when I used to say things like that. Now that I had been out with Ethan it really was no big deal. I don't think that I'll tell them that though.  
  
I smiled at my admirers as we made our way along the corridor to our first class of the day, Computer Tech. I loved this class because I could send instant messages to Miranda and Gordo in class without getting in trouble. Today however, I could tell was going to be different. I took my usual seat and Miranda sat next to me and Gordo sat across the isle from us, next to Larry Tudgeman.  
  
"Right. Today class, I have decided that you can have free time. Finish off whatever it is you are up to working on and then spend the rest of the lesson on free choice activates." The teacher said in a bored voice. Since when do we get free time?! Oh well, no complaints here.  
  
Since I had finished all my work the lesson before I decided to go on and check my emails.  
  
Junk.  
  
Junk.  
  
Kate.  
  
Junk.  
  
Wait. Since when do I get mail from Kate? I clicked on it and up came an email with the stupidest thing I've ever read printed in it:  
  
Go near Ethan again and I will make you're life hell. More than I already do anyway. You may be popular now, but it won't last for long. I will rein again.  
  
Right. I nudged Miranda and she leant over to read the email. Once she had she looked at me and bit her lip to stop herself from laughing.  
  
"That is too funny! Like Kate can do anything to you now.  
  
"I know. I'm not scared of her. I'm the top Cheerleader now." I said, flipping my hair over my shoulder in an imitation of Kate's former self. Miranda laughed and Gordo rolled his eyes.  
  
I was feeling mighty superior as I wove my way through the students of Hillridge High. I felt like a new person. Everyone was looking at me as if I was a new person anyhow. I smiled at everyone, deciding that I would be a nice popular person; unlike Kate who was a dirk to everyone she met, except for her "people" who really weren't her people at all.  
  
***  
  
"Hey Lizz-ay. Can I talk to you for a second?" Ethan asked as I approached our now regular table with the Cheerleaders.  
  
"Sure." I said, eager to spend as little time with them as possible. We walked over to an empty table and sat down.  
  
"So Ethan, what's up?"  
  
"Uhh the Sky? I thought a smart lady like you would know that Lizz-ay." I smiled good-naturedly and propped my chin up with my hand and listened as he talked.  
  
"I've got a plan to get the lady on my mind to like me." he said, eyes sparkling. I raised an eyebrow in interest and he continued to explain.  
  
"Well, I was hoping that you would help me with my plan. We could like, go out and then she'd get jealous and then would go out with me." Fail proof definitely. So many details.  
  
"Who's the lady Ethan?" I asked, getting excited already.  
  
"I can't tell you."  
  
Well. I didn't expect that.  
  
"How can I help you if I don't know what girl I am making jealous?" I said, folding my arms across my chest.  
  
"If I tell you, you won't help." He said, faltering under my stare. I frowned. Did I really want to do this? Well what better way to be really popular than to have the perfect boyfriend? Even if it just was for fun.  
  
"Ok, I'll help." I said, somewhat reluctantly.  
  
"Great!" he said enthusiastically as he slung his jacket around my shoulders. I've always wanted to wear one of those varsity jackets. This job had its perks.  
  
***  
  
I sighed and flopped down on my bed, I was thinking about this while thing with Ethan. It had to be believable. I was just envisioning myself holding hands with Ethan and running my hands through his hair when Matt walked into my room, uninvited.  
  
"Ah Lizzard, just the person I didn't want to see."  
  
"Well get out then because this is my room, therefore, you are likely to see me whilst in my room."  
  
I heard Matt say ok under his breath but I could tell that he wanted my help with something. I rolled my eyes and sat up on my bed.  
  
"What do you want?" I asked, somewhat nicer than I had the minute previously.  
  
"I need help with what to get Melina for her birthday. Since you are a girl and Miranda doesn't seem to like me much that you could help? Please?"  
  
Awww! How cute. He wanted to get her a present. The again they had been friends for a long time.  
  
"Are we talking a "just friends" present or a Matt-likes-Melina kind of present?" I asked, a smile tugging at my lips.  
  
"Ewww! A "just friends" present thanks." He said shuddering dramatically.  
  
"Oh just friends huh. Then why do you have that picture of the two of you taped inside your baseball folder?" I asked, poking fun at him.  
  
"Just friends.then why do you have that picture of you and Gordo in you're diary and under you're mattress?" He asked, poking fun at me just as much. I reddened and pushed him out of my room.  
  
"Stay away from my Diary you little creep!" I yelled before I slammed the door in his face.  
  
***  
  
Thanks for reviewing my story, Orange_crush3! Much appreciated. I'm reading some of you're stories right now. They're really cool! I hope this makes up for me being too lazy to review them =)  
  
Nesserz. 


	7. Chapter 7

~Always and Forever~  
  
Disclaimer: It's not mine.  
  
"You're what?!" Miranda screeched as we sat in my bedroom on Friday night. I covered my ears jokingly, the same time that Gordo did. I laughed and uncovered them.  
  
"Yep, I'm going out with Ethan." I said, nodding my head.  
  
"This is sooo cool! Not only are you popular, but you have the perfect boyfriend!" she said, jumping on my bed.  
  
"The perfect boyfriend?" Gordo asked, incredulously, raising an eyebrow at her. I shrugged and adopted a dreamy expression.  
  
"He's so cute." I said wistfully. I really should be an actor. I am too good. I looked up to see Miranda with the same look upon her own face. Who she was thinking about?  
  
"Who're the googly eyes for Miranda?" I asked playfully.  
  
"Huh?" she said, snapping out of her revere rather quickly. "Oh. No one." She said grinning. I looked at Gordo who shrugged, clearly knowing even less than I did.  
  
"Lets go get some popcorn and kip in the lounge." I said, remembering the videos that we had picked out earlier.  
  
"Yeah popcorn!" Miranda and Gordo chorused together. I laughed as they ran down the stairs. I hate lying to my best friends, but if they knew the truth about Ethan and me then it wouldn't work.  
  
***  
  
"Chick flicks." Gordo said shaking his head sadly at the collection of videos on the floor between us.  
  
"You bet ya." Miranda said, taking a hand full of popcorn. "You're turn to pick Lizzie." She said before stuffing it into her mouth.  
  
I knelt down on the floor and picked up Pearl Harbor.  
  
"How bout this? It isn't chick flicky." I said brandishing the film.  
  
"Sure, why not, better than Looking For Alibrandi at any rate." He said, sliding it into the machine.  
  
We all settled back on the couch, Miranda with her legs crossed in front of her and Gordo and I sitting next to one another. We'd already watched three movies so I was fairly tired by the time we had started this one. I yawned and settled down further into the couch. I wasn't comfortable so I kept wriggling around until Gordo put his arm around my shoulders and leant my head against his shoulder. I was surprised that he had done that. We never sat together like this. I didn't dwell on it for long because I soon realised how comfortable I was. It felt like I had been doing this all my life. It just felt.right.  
  
***  
  
"Lizzie.wake up."  
  
"Hmmm?" I mumbled as I shifted slightly.  
  
"It's time to get up Lizzie." The same voice whispered, breath tickling my cheek. I smiled slightly, enjoying the feel against my cheek. I opened my eyes and looked at the person belonging to the voice.  
  
"Gordo?" what was I doing lying on top of Gordo?!  
  
"Hey," he said softly. "You fell asleep last night and I didn't have the heart to wake you." He said, brushing my hair away from my cheek. I blushed and lifted myself off of him. How embarrassing!  
  
"Has my Mum been in yet?" I asked, biting my lip. If my Dad had seen us like that he would have gone nuts.  
  
"No, but I heard noise up there a few minutes ago so I thought I better wake you up. We'd have a lot of explaining to do if they found us like this." He said smiling softly.  
  
"You already have a lot of explaining to do." Said a voice from behind us. I looked up quickly to see Miranda standing there with her arms crossed. I frowned at her and Gordo just looked at her.  
  
"You're not a single woman anymore Lizzie! Just think if Ethan had called over to see you or something and seen you in you're best friends arms! I don't think it would have gone down too well." She said slightly annoyed.  
  
"Oh come on Miranda, I was tired, I fell asleep, no big deal, it's not like we were doing anything wrong." I said, I hardly thought that Ethan would be too worried if he saw me in Gordo's arms. He liked someone else, someone else who he wouldn't tell me about. I stood up and headed towards the kitchen.  
  
"Pancakes?" I called back into the living room to my friends. They soon followed me into the room and sat down at the table as I prepared breakfast.  
  
"So what are we doing today?" I asked as I poured Maple Syrup over my stack of pancakes.  
  
"Beach?" Gordo said looking at the both of us.  
  
"Great idea!" Miranda said clapping her hands together. "I've got this great new bikini that I've been wanting to try out." I smiled, thinking about what a great day it would be, fun in the sun!  
  
***  
  
"Miranda! Wait up!" I called laughing to Miranda who had slipped off her summer dress and ran into the surf faster than Gordo and I had got out of his car.  
  
"I am so glad you can drive! It would have taken us forever to get here by foot." I said appreciatively.  
  
"Yeah so am I. Not so glad that I have to taxi you two everywhere but it's not too bad.considering we pretty much do everything together anyway." He said frowning thoughtfully.  
  
I laughed then grabbed him by the hand and dragged him down to the surf in search of Miranda, who had already found a guy to fawn over. I laughed again and pulled Gordo in the opposite direction to sit on the wharf.  
  
The best part about having such great friends like Miranda and Gordo, is that you can sit in silence and it isn't uncomfortable.  
  
"Hey Lizzie, there's something I've been meaning to ask you. Are-" Gordo was cut off by a squeal from me. I had just been grabbed around the middle and shoved off the wharf into the water. It shocked me at first because it was cold. I came up again, pushing the hair out or my eyes to find myself looking up at two cute guys sitting on the wharf. Ethan and Gordo. Whoops. I mean one cute guy, Ethan. I don't think Gordo's cute. He's just Gordo! Right. Just one cute guy.  
  
"Hey! What was that for!" I spluttered.  
  
"Makes a cute mermaid doesn't she Gordon?" Ethan asked Gordo, nudging him gently in the ribs.  
  
"Yeah Ethan, she sure does."  
  
"Hey, you weren't trying to steal my girl were you?" Ethan asked, winking at me. I frowned. What was he trying to say? I climbed back onto the wharf and hugged both Ethan and Gordo, getting them wet. Hey someone had to pay the price for getting me wet. May as well have been them. Then I sat down in between them.  
  
"What brings you down here Ethan?" I asked softly, like a girlfriend would.  
  
"Volleyball. You guys wanna play?" he asked looking at the both of us.  
  
"Sure, why not?" Gordo said shrugging. I was surprised; normally he wouldn't want to play sport with someone like Ethan.  
  
"What about you Lizzie?" Gordo asked.  
  
"Uh no, me and Volleyball do not go well together. One you have to be co- ordinated, which I am not, and two, I don't like sand. But I'll be happy to watch." I said trying to cover up my lame excuses.  
  
"The more the merrier!" Ethan said before picking me up and swinging me over his shoulder and carrying me down the beach, despite my protests.  
  
A/N: Dum dum dum.What? I had the urge. 


	8. Chapter 8

~Always and Forever~  
  
Disclaimer: I really do wish that I owned something worthwhile but sadly; I don't.  
  
I sat with Miranda on our towels watching the boys play Volleyball. I was right; it wasn't my kind of sport. I was sitting on the sidelines and I still got his by the ball. It probably wouldn't have happened if I had been watching what they were doing and not reading a fashion magazine. I watched the game for a while, trying to figure out what Ethan meant about the whole stealing his girl business. Why would Gordo steal me from him? He didn't need to steal me, I was already one of his best friends, and I always have time for my friends. The way I see it, friends come before boyfriends, no matter how cute they are.  
  
"Lizzie, heads up!" I heard Gordo call a split second before I ended up with a ball in my lap.  
  
"Thanks for the warning! A few seconds earlier would have been appreciated too!" I called out.  
  
"Sorry!" he said as he came over to retrieve it from me. He smiled at me and pushed his hair out of his eyes and caught the ball as I threw it to him. My stomach did a funny acrobatic manoeuvre as he smiled but I shook it off as heat stroke. Coincidence okay?! I decided from then on that I would watch the game. I don't understand how people can play games like that for hours and not get bored. I mean come on, back and forth back and forth, drop, back and drop. How repetitive. I felt my mind begin to wander along with my gaze and I looked down the beach to see Kate lying on a towel, staring out to sea. I looked at her for a while and stood up telling Miranda, who was sunning herself that I would be back soon. She waved her hand at me, not speaking. I smiled and walked away from our spot in the shade and continued on down the beach to Kate. I was about to speak to her when I heard something that sounded suspiciously like a sob. I stopped in my tracks and say Kate distinctly wipe at her eyes. She wasn't crying! No way.I stood there in shock, listening to her cry. Why would she be crying? What possible reason?  
  
"Stupid Lizzie. I hate her!"  
  
Ok. I could be the reason.  
  
"She's taken away everything that made me happy. Why is she popular all of a sudden? It's not right. I'm supposed to me popular, she's supposed to be the loser, not me."  
  
Oh. How rude. I was actually going to comfort her, now she was just asking for rudeness.  
  
"Hi Kate." I said, standing over her hunched form on the beach. She looked up and shielded her eyes from the sun and once she saw me she scowled and wiped at her eyes. Muttering about sand in them, yeah right.  
  
"What do you want Loozie?" she asked, adopting back her usual sneer.  
  
"I'm not "Loozie" anymore Kate. I happen to be popular. You should try it sometime." I said, sitting next to her on the sand.  
  
"Look Lizzie, I don't care what you do with you're popularity, but stay away from Ethan alright?"  
  
"Yeah about that. No. Why should I? There's nothing written anywhere that says that I can't hang out with him, he seems to like me enough." Kate snorted.  
  
"It's only because you're popular, he didn't even look at you before that, remember?"  
  
I pretended that I didn't hear her and inspected my nails instead. Sensing that she wasn't going to say anything else I stood up and told her that I would do what I wanted, when I wanted and turned to leave.  
  
"Popularity is a privilege, not a right Lizzie." She said softly and I walked away from her, she thought I didn't hear her but I did.  
  
***  
  
"Hey Lizzie, what did you and Kate talk about?" Ethan asked casually as he sat next to me on another beach towel. Nothing?  
  
"Nothing much, why?" I said leaning back on my arms as I looked out the ocean. Why would Ethan want to know anyway? Unless.Oh my gosh.  
  
"Ethan, come for a swim!" I said standing up and grabbing him by the hand and pulling him out to the water.  
  
"What's wrong Lizzie?" he asked as we splashed around.  
  
"What's wrong?! Why didn't you tell me it was Kate that you have your eye on?" I asked, putting my arms around his shoulders in a loving gesture. Considering I would have loved to be doing this a couple of years ago, now it was no big deal. He put his arms around my waist. Quick this one.  
  
"I thought that if you knew it was Kate then you wouldn't help me." he said shrugging, looking in her direction. I touched him on the chin and pulled his face back to mine.  
  
"Are you kidding? All the more reason to help. Making Kate jealous is something I'm always up for doing! But you know, I help my friends where I can." I added seeing him raise an eyebrow.  
  
"I've been thinking about how we can put our plan into action. We need to be seen out together more, you know, Digital Bean, movies, mini golfing even. All the places where Kate goes, and where people are going to see us and tell her that they saw us." He has that sparkle back in his eyes, the one he got when he talked about Kate. I personally, could not understand what he saw in her. But then again when she wants to be, she can be decent.  
  
"You really like her don't you?" I asked as we walked up the beach, arms around each other's waists.  
  
"Like you wouldn't believe, I feel like Kate understands me. I don't know why, it's just that, I think it might be the whole popular thing, we hang out a lot, well we used to before you guys kinda switched places, know what I mean?" he said looking at me.  
  
I suddenly felt very guilty, I was loving this whole popular thing, even if it wasn't that major and here Ethan was, wanting Kate back and I was stopping her from coming back, but I just want my time to shine. Everyone knows who I am at the moment; it's never been like that. Just once in my life.  
  
"But even though I feel that way, I don't care if she is popular or not, she's still Kate."  
  
He got that right! She's still snooty, annoying, rude, self indulged Kate.  
  
"I'll help you get her Ethan, don't worry, in fact I don't think you'll have to do much." I said as I swung around and walked back in the other direction.  
  
"Ok well all we have to do now is get you and Gordon together." Ethan said, removing his arm from my waist and holding my hand loosely in his.  
  
"Um what Ethan? Gordo and I don't-"  
  
"Like each other? Don't try to kid me Lizzie. You two are made for each other. Soulmates." I gaped at him like a gold fish. No way. Ethan noticed? Noticed nothing I mean. He didn't notice anything. There's nothing to notice.  
  
"There's nothing happening there Ethan." I said, calmly as possible.  
  
"Of course not. Not yet anyway."  
  
Huh!? There never would be, we don't like each other like that, we really don't. We are two thirds of The Three Amigo's. The three amigos do not pair off. I was frowning by the time we got back and Miranda must have noticed because she asked what was wrong.  
  
"Huh? Oh. Oh! Nothing. Just.thinking about things."  
  
"Any things in particular?" Gordo asked, removing his arm from shielding his eyes from the sun to look at me.  
  
"Uh yeah sort of. I mean no. Nothing important anyway. Pretty stupid anyway." I said as I gathered up my beach towel and chucked it into the back of Gordo's car. But I couldn't help thinking how important it really was as we drove down the highway, the hair whipping around my neck.  
  
***  
  
A/N: You'll be glad to know that I don't have any urges now. =D 


	9. Chapter 9

~Always and Forever~  
  
Disclaimer: Do we actually need to put these here? Does anyone notice? Probably not.  
  
"Hey Lizzie."  
  
"How's it going Lizzie?"  
  
"Hey guys, I'm alright. What have you been up to? I've been so busy lately, I've barely seen you!" I said into the receiver of my portable phone.  
  
"Well we've been around Lizzie." Gordo said into the phone. I stopped inspecting my nail polish and frowned at the tone of voice he had used.  
  
"Yeah. Sorry about that. This week has just been so. Woah! Every time I look up someone different wants to talk to me."  
  
"Little Miss Popularity." Miranda said but her voice what somewhat more cheerful than Gordo's. Least Miranda seemed to be happy for me.  
  
"Listen, I have to go, Dad wants the phone but do you guys want to meet up at the Digi Bean tomorrow about eleven?" Gordo asked hurriedly.  
  
"Sure. I'm in." I said and Miranda agreed.  
  
"Ok good. See you then."  
  
"Bye Gordo."  
  
"Yeah see ya Gordon." Miranda said, I laughed; I could picture Gordo frowning, shaking his head and hanging up the phone and Miranda not even thinking twice about it.  
  
"Hey Miranda," I said as I flopped down on my bed, hair splaying out around my head, "Did you notice Gordo's tone of voice when he spoke to me? Like he was.upset or something?" I asked, twirling the phone cord around my fingers.  
  
"Nope, hadn't noticed, sorry." Miranda said, a little too quickly. Right ok then.  
  
"Well I've gotta go finish off a school project, I'll see you tomorrow at eleven." I said.  
  
"Sure thing Chica. Later." Miranda said then hung up. I sighed and hung up my own phone.  
  
For the life of me I couldn't shake the weird way that Gordo had spoken to me and how he had left so suddenly. He said that his Dad had needed the phone but that didn't make sense. The Gordon's had two phone lines in their home.  
  
***  
  
I sat in the Digital Bean, bored out of my brain. Matt had decided to be a royal pain in the behind so I had left the house a half an hour early and taken a leisurely walk through the park on the way to the Digi Bean. Once I arrived, I ordered a Smoothie and sat back in my chosen booth people watching. It's actually pretty relaxing; maybe that's why Gordo does it in the first place. I was sitting there with my chin resting on my hand when I saw another hand, suspended in mid air, waving in front of my face. It took me a moment to realise that it was Miranda's hand waving in front of me and it was firmly attached to her wrist. I shook myself slightly and smiled up at her. She plopped down in the seat next to me and a second later Gordo say across from us.  
  
"Hey guys." I said, not so bored anymore.  
  
"Hey Lizzie." two voices chorused that did not belong to my friends'. I looked behind me, puzzled.  
  
"Oh hey Ethan, Kylie." I said, smiling at my boyfriend and one of the girls from the Cheerleading Squad.  
  
"Mind if we sit?" Ethan said, sitting anyway. I couldn't be sure but I thought I heard a whispered "No." come from Gordo's direction.  
  
"Sure." I said, making room for Kylie.  
  
After long we were all laughing and joking about the events that had happened at school in the passed week. During a lull in conversation, Gordo turned to me.  
  
"Hey Lizzie-"  
  
"And then that big oaf, Morgan fell right of his face in the mud during the varsity football game. It was a classic moment!" Ethan laughed heartily as he draped an arm around my shoulders. I laughed remembering the moment myself, normally I wouldn't go to watch the football games but being Ethan's girlfriend, it was kind of a necessity. I turned back to talk to Gordo and found his seat empty.  
  
"Where'd he.go."? I said quietly as I saw his back disappear through the doors of the building. I made to get up but Ethan stopped me. I was about to ask why when I saw Kate enter through a side door. Ethan began paying more attention to me then. Figures. She had to walk in right when I wanted to go after my best friend.  
  
"Miranda, what?" I asked her and she looked at me and abruptly stood up.  
  
"Gordo's right. Shouldn't have bothered." She said and mimicked Gordo's exit.  
  
Ok. What is going on? Weird behaviour from one friend can be tolerated, but two friends? Not good.  
  
***  
  
I stood waiting at Gordo's locker on Monday morning since he wouldn't return my calls all weekend so I figured he couldn't avoid me at school. Boy was I wrong.  
  
"He Gordo." I said as he approached. If he heard me he gave no indication of doing so. He twisted the combination lock, opened the door, shoved books into his locker and removed a few at the same time. Then he turned on his heel and went back in the direction that he had come.  
  
"Hey Gordo, I'm trying to talk to you here!" I said, slightly angry.  
  
"Oh really. So now you have the time to talk to little old me do you? Well I don't have the time to talk to you Lizzie McGuire."  
  
I...what.he.didn't just.rude.  
  
I crossed my arms and decided to try a different approach.  
  
"What's wrong with you? Why are you being such a dirk?" I asked. Blunt, real blunt.  
  
At that last comment he whirled around, almost sending me knocking into him, he's stopped so fast.  
  
"Me being a dirk? Oh that's real funny Lizzie. Ever considered being a stand up comic? Really, if you don't know what's wrong with me, then I am not going to tell you. You're a smart girl; you'll work it out. See you around Elizabeth."  
  
Ouch. He has never called me Elizabeth. Oh the pain. I can't believe how much that actually hurt. I honestly don't know what I have done. I'm sure that Miranda will know. She'll talk to me. I walked to my first class on my own, which coincidently had both Miranda and Gordo in it. Along with Ethan and Kate. I sat down in my usual seat next to Gordo, who promptly stood up and moved to the other side of the room. Real mature. Especially for someone like Gordo. I rolled my eyes at him and took out my notebook and turned to the next clean page.  
  
***  
  
Nesserz. =D 


	10. Chapter 10

~Always and Forever~  
  
Disclaimer: The only thing that I own that is Lizzie McGuire related is 4 video tapes of episodes that I taped myself that mysteriously have the wrong sound on them.stupid VCR. Stupid old-fashioned mother who won't but a DVD player.I'm perfectly all right.  
  
Dear Diary,  
I thought it was probably about time that I wrote in you again. Want to hear something really shocking? Miranda and Gordo hate me. It's been a week since we spoke. I tried to get them to talk to me but they just wont. I still don't know what it is that I've done. If I did know, then I'd apologise for it straight away, it must be something pretty serious if they won't even talk to me.  
  
I hate seeing them walking down the corridors without me with them. They don't look overly happy that I'm not there, yet they don't look too upset either. I just wish they would talk to me. Everything's so messed up right now. I don't even know what to think.  
  
I never thought I would be this miserable without my best friends. Of course, I haven't shown that I feel like absolute hell, I've put on a brave face and lived up to the role of Ethan's girlfriend. Infact, I think I am doing pretty well, considering how I feel. I have no one to talk too. Usually I'd talk to Miranda or Gordo but obviously I can't talk to them. Mum is out of the question because I know whatever she tells me will be the right thing and I'm not sure that I want to do the right thing. When I think about it, I am pretty mad at the both of them. They are being really immature about the whole thing. I see them at lunch, heads bent in conversation and I feel so jealous. I know that I belong with them and not the Cheerleaders, but it's what I've always wanted. I should be grateful that they've seen me for me. But have they really? Sometimes it's obvious that it's all about the popularity business.  
  
It makes me wonder if anyone popular really has true friends. The Three Amigo's may never have been popular but at least they knew what they wanted from their friends. We were popular in our own way. People didn't despise us; we were liked to a fair standard. Except by Kate but what can you do?  
  
I just want to talk to my friends again, but at the same time, I like having different friends. Even if some of them don't remember my name from lunch to lunch.  
  
On the upside, Ethan's plan is coming along nicely. It's nice to have a friendly face amongst it all. We can talk about our problems. Ethan may not be the smartest person I know but he does have some good advice ever now and then. I've seen Kate glaring at us lately. If I'm in a particularly nasty mood, I'll hug Ethan and run my hands through his hair because I know that that's what she wants to do and that it's killing her because she's unpopular and can't do it. If only she were popular, she could take my place. Sometimes, that's the only good thing about being away from Miranda and Gordo; I know that I am helping at least one of my friends.  
  
I just wish my preferred friends didn't hate me.  
  
I closed my diary slowly and a tear slid down my cheek and onto the cover of it. I brushed it off and placed it into my book bag. I wiped at my eyes and looked in the mirror on my vanity and smiled brightly at my reflection, if there's a smile on your face, then no one questions you. I had learnt this in the last week. If you put a smile on your face, fake or real, then no one asks you anything. I was glad that was the case, because I knew that if anyone were to ask me if I was all right, that I would break down in tears right then and there. I half-heartedly wished that Gordo and Miranda knew what I was going through.  
  
I was walking to my Geography class when I was grabbed roughly by the arm and pulled into a classroom. I was about to scream when I saw the person that had grabbed me was Gordo. I frowned at him and watched as he sat down on the closest desk.  
  
I stood there, not knowing what to do.  
  
"Why are you doing this Lizzie?"  
  
Huh?  
  
"Doing what?" I asked him, taken completely by surprise.  
  
He just looked at me, not saying anything. Suddenly my eyes opened in realization. He knew.  
  
"You know." I said, not knowing whether to be angry or ashamed of myself.  
  
"Yeah." He said looking at me carefully.  
  
"How.how could you tell?" I asked shocked to learn that he knew.  
  
"Come on Lizzie, I've known you all my life, I can read you like a book. The more you try to hide something, the more obvious it is." "Does.does anyone else know?"  
  
"Of course not. Miranda hasn't even picked up on it. But I've seen you Lizzie. Seen you sitting with Ethan, with his arm around you and you supposedly having the time of your life. You're not. I see the smile slide off your face when no ones looking. I see you flinch when Ethan goes to put his arm around you. Why Lizzie, it's what you've always wanted. Now you've got it and it's not what you want. Or is it?"  
  
I just stood there fiddling with my hands. What was I supposed to say to that? He was right, he can read me like a book. If that's the case then why can't he see what I feel about him? Wait.I mean, what I feel about losing him and Miranda. AND Miranda. Yeah.  
  
"It's what I want," I said in the most unconvincing voice I've ever used. Gordo raised an eyebrow at me, clearly knowing that I was lying. Damn him. I give up.  
  
"How come you hadn't said anything before now. How come you didn't expose me, it would have been the perfect way to get back at me. The perfect way for you to show everyone how much you hate me." I said quietly, on the verge of tears again.  
  
"I don't hate you." He said, not looking exactly convinced by the words that were coming out of his mouth.  
  
***  
  
Dear Diary,  
Me again. You are the only thing I can talk too. I have no one in human form that I can converse with so it will have to be to you with words.  
  
I can't believe what I thought before. Why can't he see how I feel about him?! I don't feel anything like that about Gordo. Do I? I've asked myself this before and come up with the conclusion that he is just my best friend. Miranda is my best friend and I don't miss her nearly as much as I miss Gordo when he's away. Sure I miss Miranda too, but just not as much. With that said, maybe I do have feelings for Gordo. And they couldn't have come at a worse time. When we are fighting. Quite possibly he and Miranda will never talk to me again, so what chance do I have of him knowing how I feel. Maybe I should just tell him and make a fool out of myself at the same time. That would make things even worse. If he was thinking about forgiving me and then I told him that, he'd run a mile. Of course he could feel the same way about me. Deep deep deep down inside. Very very deep down.  
  
What am I going to do now? I have no real friends and I may possibly be in love with my ex best friend. Life for me is rarely ever easy.  
  
Utterly and completely screwed,  
  
Lizzie.  
  
So he doesn't hate me? Well that's what he said. I'm not sure if I believe him or not. Hell, I don't even think he believed what he said. He didn't look too convinced. Why me? Things never go the way they should for me. I'm not that much of a bad person am I?  
  
Why did he come and ask me what I was doing? Why did he tell me that he knew? He'd been watching me all week, but why? I honestly thought that he wanted nothing to do with me. Why would he bother with what I was doing? Maybe he really did still care about me. God knows why. I don't even care about me anymore, why should Gordo?  
  
*** 


	11. Chapter 11

~Always and Forever~  
  
Disclaimer: Are you guy's sick of hearing from me yet? I know I am.  
  
I was sitting on my bed, my favourite place to spend my time lately when I wasn't out with Ethan. I was finding more and more excuses to get out of hanging out with him. I felt bad for ditching him but what could I do? I wasn't very good company anyway. Not when the person I wanted to put his arms around me probably wished that I would fall off a very big cliff.  
  
You wake up one day and everything changes  
  
You cross a line and there's no turning back  
  
You're caught between the love and the danger  
  
It's hard to leave a heart so open up to that  
  
I sat up on my bed listening intently, I'd never heard that song before but it sounded so familiar. It was summing up everything about my current situation. How I felt. Everything changing and not being able to go back. Caught between the love and the danger. In my case the love and the danger were pretty much the same thing.  
  
You wish...Every time a star falls from the sky  
  
You wish...That he'd feel the way you feel inside  
  
You hope and you pray, keep it all locked away  
  
As you see yourself lost in his kiss...You wish  
  
I got up off my bed and walked to the window and looked out at the stars, watching a falling star and wishing that Gordo really didn't hate me. I almost wanted to pray like the song said. The part about being lost in his kiss. Well, I was pretty lost in Rome.  
  
You think you know just how to read him  
  
And then he throws you right off track  
  
And all you know is how much you need him  
  
Time will tell you where his heart is really at  
  
I was sure that Gordo wouldn't ever want to talk to me again when he grabbed me and pulled me into that classroom, and told me what he knew. That was the moment that I discovered how I felt about him. If only he knew how I felt. But did I really want him to know? I think for the best that he shouldn't know but that doesn't mean that my feelings have changed, just because he doesn't know. He cares about me; he must if he bothered to talk to me. If he hated me, he wouldn't have bothered.  
  
You wish...Every time a star falls from the sky  
  
You wish...That he'd feel the way you feel inside  
  
You hope and you pray, keep it all locked away  
  
As you see yourself lost in his kiss...You wish  
  
I grabbed Mr Snuggles who had been sitting innocently on my bed and threw him at the wall in frustration. It just wasn't fair. My life has lousy timing. For everything.  
  
Late at night  
  
You wonder what he's thinking of  
  
It's killing you  
  
and all that's true  
  
Is you're falling deeper in love  
  
I turned back to the window and sighed deeply. Everything just seemed so scrambled in my brain that I didn't have a clue where to start. Maybe I'm destined to a life of being miserable. I deserve it. If I hadn't treated my friends like that then it never would have happened, it's my entire fault. I wish I knew for sure what Gordo thought of me. Yeah, it's killing me. The more I think about him the more I fall for him. This isn't healthy for a person!  
  
You wish...Everytime a star falls from the sky  
  
You wish...That he'd feel the way you feel inside  
  
You hope and you pray, keep it all locked away  
  
As you see yourself lost in his kiss...You wish  
  
Oh yeah. I wish all right. I wish.  
***  
  
"Now class, I want you to write a poem about anything that appeals to you. Anything at all and I want you to read it to the class. There is a box of Poetry books out the front; you may look at them for some ideas. You have ten minutes. You may begin."  
  
Mrs. Jones our English teacher said. I liked her, she was nice and she was young. That was a good thing compared to the older teachers that we have at our school. She could relate to us on a more personal level. Unlike Dragon Dimitri in the English department for the Seniors. Urgh.  
  
I pushed my chair back and stood up and headed towards the front of the classroom. I had just reached the box of books and wasn't really paying attention to what I was doing and I knocked hands with someone. I looked up to apologise and saw Gordo standing there. I felt my face heat up.  
  
"Sorry." I mumbled.  
  
"Not as sorry as I am." He muttered. I'm pretty sure that his comment had nothing to do with my hand brushing his. It had more to it than that. All of a sudden it made me angry.  
  
"You know what, I'm not sorry. I hope I hurt you." I said. How lame. As if I would have hurt him with my hand. I had to suppress the urge to roll my eyes at myself. I grabbed a book and stalked back to my seat. I plopped back down again and exhaled.  
  
Why did I just do that? I want to be friends with him again, not drive him even further away! I am so stupid sometimes. I slid down in my seat and opened my book up to the section on Friendship poems. I skimmed through them until coming across one that given any other time would have made me happy but right now it depressed me. But no one needed to know that. I decided that it was the one that I would base my poem on. I marked the page and pulled out a pen and wrote the first thing that came into my head about friendships. I looked at the end result and was pretty pleased with myself. Normally I don't write poetry but it was actually fun. I sat back and waited for everyone else to finish.  
  
"Mr Craft, would you do the honour of going first with your Poem?" Mrs Jones asked kindly.  
  
"Yeah sure. My Poem is called "My Girl" not the movie dudes, Ethan's poem." He said as he walked to the front of the class. I had a bad feeling about this.  
  
"My Poem is written in Acoustic I mean, Acrostic form. Here goes.  
  
M is for Mmm. Y is for Yeah!  
  
G is for Gorgeous I is for Irresistible R is for Ravenous. L is for Lizzie!"  
  
I nearly died on the spot. I had no idea that Ethan would do something like that! It was sweet in a way but incredibly embarrassing.  
  
"Thank you Ethan. Since your Poem was about Miss McGuire, I suggest she go next. That alright Lizzie?" she asked smiling at me. No it wasn't all right but I couldn't exactly say that could I? I stood up and walked to the front of the class just as Ethan had done. He winked at me on the way and I smiled weakly back.  
  
"My Poem is called 'True Friends'" I said, careful to avoid Gordo's eyes.  
  
"True friends stand by each other, True friends help each other True friends are there for the Good times and the bad. No matter what, friends will Always be friends."  
  
I stood nervously looking around and my eyes flicked automatically over to Gordo who was looking down at his desk. Thinking hard about something. I walked back to my desk slowly. Hoping that he now knew how I bad I felt about the way I had treated him and Miranda. I now realise what I had done wrong. I had ignored them in the Digital Bean. I can't believe I hadn't realised that's what it was. The Poem in the book had triggered memories that I had with my best friends and it had made me see what I had done wrong. I had treated them like no bodies.  
  
I didn't deserve such great friends.  
  
***  
  
Ok. Of course the credit for the song used in this chapter goes to LaLaine seeing as it is her song. I just thought that it fit perfectly in here. I love this song. Wish her album were out here in Aussie.  
  
Nesserz. 


	12. Chapter 12

~Always and Forever~  
  
Disclaimer: Zzzzzz..  
  
I climbed out of bed. I was late. Just what I needed. I yanked open my closet doors and pulled out the first outfit that I could find. Denim jeans with rhinestones down the sides and a light pink hoodie. I pulled out a pink belt and slipped it through the belt loops and brushed out my hair and pulled half of it up into a quick twist and secured it with a fancy clip that matched my hoodie.  
  
I searched through the mess on my dresser until I came up with a pair of dangly earrings. I put them into my ears and applied some lipgloss, grabbed my backpack and headed downstairs to the kitchen.  
  
"Hello Sweetheart." My Mum greeted me happily. I adopted the smile that I had been faking for the last week or so. Amazing how my best friend can see through it but my own Mother can't. That can't be a good thing.  
  
I grabbed a piece of toast and ran out the door. I knew that if I stayed in the kitchen with her I would have broken down sooner or later and told her what was going on and I didn't want to do that. I just didn't.  
  
I walked slowly down the footpath, thinking about what was happening to me lately. I realised how awful it felt to have to go to lessons without my friends talking to me. Now I know how Larry must have felt. At least he made the effort to talk to people. He never seemed too upset about not having any close friends though. I can't imagine why, this is awful! I hate it. I have to make it up to my friends, I have to apologise, even if they don't want me back, I at least have to try to set things straight.  
  
Upon arriving at school, I was swept into a hug by Ethan.  
  
"Today's going to be the day Lizzie!" he said as he bent close to me on the pretence of welcoming me. I smiled at him.  
  
"What makes you say that?" I asked, not really paying attention to him anyway.  
  
"Dunno, I just feel as if today is the day that Kate is going to find out how I really feel about her."  
  
"That's great Ethan. Are you going to tell her?"  
  
"No, just lets see how things pan out. I just have that feeling. You know?" he asked, taking me by the hand and led me to our regular table outside under a massive oak tree.  
  
I sat down with Ethan on the ground, leaning against the trunk of the tree and holding his hand absentmindedly.  
  
"What's wrong Lizzie?" he asked, squeezing my hand gently.  
  
"Nothing." I said, giving him my famous fake smile.  
  
"You can't fool me Lizzie, I know that you are upset about something. Please tell me. Maybe I can help."  
  
At the least, I was shocked. How could Ethan tell? Only Gordo could.well so I thought. I sighed. I needed to talk to someone; it may as well be Ethan. The guy has good advice to give sometimes, maybe now is one of those times.  
  
"Ok. Well, since I agreed to be your "girlfriend" I totally forgot about Miranda and Gordo, then I became really popular and everything and I kind of snobbed them off. And now.well, they hate me." I said. No point in going into details really. I'd been over it enough in my head already.  
  
"They don't hate you." Ethan said after a short pause.  
  
"How do you know that? I mean, Gordo claims that he doesn't, but I think that he does. To some extent anyway." I said biting my lip, upset.  
  
"Lizzie, Miranda and Gordo are two amazing people and you guys are The Three Amigo's. Do you really think that you are going to stop being friends over something like this? I'm sure that if you all sat down and had a talk then you could clear it all up. They won't ditch you Lizzie." He said.  
  
"Yeah, but I ditched them and didn't even realise I'd done it until I found that friendship poem." I said, more to myself than to Ethan.  
  
"A poem helped you see what you had done? Wow.that's some freaky writing man." Ethan said, shaking his head. I smiled and sighed again. Thinking about how I could make it up to my friends again. I really couldn't think of anything. Usually I didn't have problems coming up with things like this. It was my friends that had helped me I guess. They helped me in so many ways that I hadn't even noticed. I guess what they say is true: You don't know what you've got until it's gone.  
  
***  
  
I stumbled through the day, completely oblivious to what was going on around me. I sat in the Cafeteria, stabbing at the thing on my plate that people insisted was broccoli, where as I believed that it was some life form from another planet. I didn't care anyway; there was no way that I was going to be eating it.  
  
I sat stabbing at my "broccoli" because I didn't have anyone to talk too. Except for the air headed "people", or ex "people", of Kate's. This popularity thing was way over-rated. I wasn't fit to be popular. I just wanted my normal life back, friends or no friends now. I really didn't care. I just wanted it back. Back! That's it.  
  
I pushed my chair back, took a deep breathe and looked around the crowded cafeteria, it looked as though the whole school was in there. That made sense, as it was a little warm outside. Well the more people the better. I wanted everyone to know how sorry I was. Everyone. Even people I didn't know.  
  
I took another breath and climbed up onto my chair, despite hearing what people were saying around me.  
  
"What's that girl doing?"  
  
"She's not is she? Oh my gosh, she is!"  
  
I ignored them and climbed from my chair to the table that we had been sitting at. I carefully avoided everyone's trays of food and stuck my fingers in my mouth and whistled. I waited nervously as people turned my way. I noticed that not everyone was looking at me so I took the liberty of calling out to them. I didn't care that people were laughing at me. I had to do this and since Miranda wasn't talking to me and Gordo barely was, this seemed like the best option to talk to them along with everyone else. I figured making a public apology would make my friends see how sorry I truly was. They knew that I wouldn't stand on the table under normal circumstances, so this had to be something important. I looked around for my friends, making sure that they were actually in the room. I spotted them over by the exit to the outside cafeteria. I locked eyes with Gordo and instantly wished that I were still sitting in my seat, mushing up my broccoli. I knew that I couldn't back out now though. I had to show them what they meant to me.  
  
"Ok, I've got an announcement people! Sorry to interrupt you from your nutritious lunches, but this is something I have to do and you all need to hear it."  
  
Oh good god. What am I doing?!  
  
"Most of you know me as that popular girl, Lizzie McGuire. The girlfriend of Ethan Craft. Up until about two weeks ago, I'm sure half of you didn't even know my name. This is because of popularity. I decided to choose popularity over my friends. The worst thing I have ever done. I thought being popular would be fun. And it was. For the first two days. Ever since the seventh grade, I had this massive crush on Ethan, just like a lot of you out there. The when he asked me out I thought, "why not?" what have I got to loose? I had a lot to loose, and I lost it. My best friends. I should have thought about what I was doing before I did it. Now, I hate the life that I have. I hate popularity. Why? Because it's fake. It's not real. I would give just about anything to have my old life back. Popularity ruined everything that I had going for me. I'm sorry to those people who thought that I was enjoying it, I haven't been. I led you to believe that I was but I wasn't. Truth be told, I've been miserable for the last eight days. I've been so selfish, I didn't even know what I had done to my friends at first, then I worked it out. I'm not smart, if I was, I'd still have my friends. So Kate, wherever you are, I'm done with this whole "popularity" thing. You can have it. It suits you well. The only thing I want now is my best friends back but in order for that I have to apologise to them. Miranda, Gordo. I'm really sorry; I know that sorry doesn't cut it and that I never should have done what I did. It was wrong of me and I understand that now and I understand why you don't want to talk to me. I wouldn't want to either. I really don't know what else to say, I just hope that you can forgive me somehow. If you can't then I understand. I just want us to be The Three Amigos again. Always and forever right?"  
  
I said. I finished to a silent room. Everyone was now looking at me. Some were trying to hide the fact that they thought that what I had done was funny, some looked like they wanted to cry! And some, well I couldn't tell what they thought. The people that fell into that category were Miranda, Gordo, Ethan and Kate.  
  
Kate! I can't believe I forgot. I told her that she could have her popularity back but I didn't tell her about Ethan. I wanted his feeling to be right.  
  
"Oh yeah and Kate? Ethan and I? We never were going out. It was all a scam. I was helping out a friend. A friend that, god forbid, likes you. He wanted to make you jealous, and judging by that email and some of the things you've said to me, I'd say it worked. Just thought you should know." 


	13. Chapter 13

~Always and Forever~  
  
Disclaimer: Oh hello peoples. Sigh.  
  
I jumped down onto my chair and then to the floor and walked slowly out the door. I couldn't stand to be in there anymore, with everyone staring at me. Once I made it out of the Cafeteria, I ran through the halls of the school and home. I normally wouldn't run out on something like that but I had too. I had the feeling that there were a lot of people laughing in that cafeteria.  
  
***  
  
I sat in my backyard on the swing that my Dad had rigged up for Matt and me when we were little. I dug the toe of my sneaker into the ground and pushed myself half heartedly backwards and forwards. I was looking at the ground so I didn't hear anyone approach.  
  
"Hey." A voice called hesitantly to me. I snapped my head up in surprise and upon seeing Gordo, wished that I could look back to the ground again.  
  
"Hi." I whispered.  
  
"Can we talk?" he asked as he stood in front of me with his hands in his pockets. He looks so cute when he does that. Yeah, I think Gordo is cute. I like him don't I? I can think that now.  
  
"Sure." I said shrugging my shoulders slightly.  
  
Gordo sat down on the grass in front of me. I hopped off the swing and sat across from him. The grass felt cool beneath my touch and I wished that I could lie down and look up at the stars, without a worry in the world, but unfortunately I had a lot of worries in the world and this was one of them.  
  
"What you did today.was." he looked like he was stuck for words. Not a common occurrence with Gordo.  
  
"Incredibly stupid and embarrassing?" I supplied somewhat amused.  
  
"No.it was.something that you wouldn't have done a year ago."  
  
Ok.that was weird. I must have shown what I was thinking with my facial expressions because Gordo spoke again.  
  
"What I mean is, that you wouldn't have bothered with something like that a year ago, sure you would have been feeling the same thing, but you wouldn't have thought to make a public apology to Miranda and me. It shows that you have really changed over the last few years." He grinned at me, which totally shocked me, but I found myself grinning back.  
  
"So what made you do it? In front of the whole school I mean."  
  
"Well neither of you were too keen to talk to me and I had to talk to you somehow. I guess I just wanted to show you how much I missed you.and Miranda." I added quickly afterward.  
  
"Well I accept your apology. I'm not sure about Miranda yet. We didn't talk about it."  
  
"Oh." I was surprised that Gordo seemed to be forgiving me so easily, it just didn't make sense, and yet Miranda was no where to be seen. I bit my lip to stop from crying but a sob escaped me all the same and Gordo didn't miss it. He put a hand on my shoulder.  
  
"Hey.I'm sure that she will come around Lizzie. Everything will work out for the best."  
  
"Speaking of coming around, how come you've forgiven me this easily?"  
  
"Well I respect what you did today, I know it couldn't have been easy for you and I admire you for it. Besides, I knew you couldn't live without me and Miranda for much longer." He grinned and lay back on the grass propping his head up with his hands and looked at me.  
  
I was so relieved that I flopped down next to him. I couldn't keep the grin off my face. I was so glad that he didn't hate me that I decided I would tell him how I felt. Now was as good a time as any.  
  
"Gordo.there was one other reason why I apologised. I got to thinking a lot when I was having my little bout of popularitism-"  
  
"You do realise that isn't a word?" he asked, raising his eyebrow at me. I sent him a look that shut him up.  
  
"Anyway, I realised a lot of things. Although there was one thing that kind of scared me. I thought that I might not ever be friends again with you and that's when I realised that I care about you.a lot. Not just as a friend, as more. A whole lot more. I understand that you don't feel the same way; I just thought that you should know. I'm not going to stop liking you because you don't like me but you should know. Nothing will change of course, Miranda doesn't need to know, no one does. Just us."  
  
I said feeling stupider by the minute. I looked down to my shoes and started plucking blades of grass from the ground. Then after what felt like an eternity, he spoke.  
  
"Well that's a bit of a pity you not wanting anyone to know how you feel because people are gonna get the hint when we start walking around holding hands and hugging and whatever else we might be doing." He said grinning at me.  
  
Huh? What?  
  
"What?"  
  
"Lizzie, I like you too, I can't believe you didn't know that. I thought it was obvious. So did Miranda."  
  
Obvious? Not to me it wasn't.  
  
"I.feel incredibly stupid right now." I said to him feeling a blush creep slowly but steadily onto my face. He noticed.  
  
"You look incredibly cute when you blush."  
  
He said, touching the side of my face gently with his hand. I almost shivered under his touch, despite the warm weather. I can't believe I'd deprived myself of this for so long. I put my hand on his and moved our hands to my lap where I entwined our fingers. I looked at Gordo in the eye for the first time in a long time and almost gasped as I noticed how blue his eyes got. I knew that when he wanted something really bad, they would turn the brightest blue I'd ever seen. I couldn't remember the last time I had seen them so blue. I know that the time I had spoken to him in the classroom they had been a steely grey but before when he was around me they were like they were now.his eyes have always been that brilliant blue when he's been with me. How couldn't I have noticed it?! I am so incredibly stupid.  
  
I hadn't realised that we had been moving closer to each other as I was deep in thought and just as I realised what was going to happen, I felt Gordo's mouth on mine. I was shocked at first but recovered quickly, kissing him back. Compared to the kiss that we had shared in Rome, this one was even more magical. I couldn't believe my luck.  
  
It was short but sweet. I personally, didn't ever want to stop. We broke apart and I looked at Gordo, his eyes were shining. Crystal blue. Beautiful.  
  
"You have amazing eyes." I said. I really said that! How embarrassing.  
  
"Thanks. Aren't the guys supposed to say things like that to the girls though?" he asked, grinning at me.  
  
"I was right. Chivalry is dead. Can't a girl tell her beau how much she loves him?" I asked giddily.  
  
"L-loves him?" Gordo stuttered quietly.  
  
I felt my eyes go wide. I hadn't meant to say that! Oh god.  
  
"I.um.Oh god Gordo, I am so sorry, I didn't mean to say that! It slipped out!"  
  
Well done McGuire. Very well done.  
  
"You're sorry? Well I'm not." He said grinning at me and cupping my face in his hands.  
  
"I love you too Lizzie McGuire." Then he kissed me again, this time his tongue begging entrance to my mouth.  
  
"Hey," I said breaking apart from him "let's keep this G-rated thank you very much!"  
  
I said and he laughed and lay back down on the ground, pulling me against him. We stayed like that for the next few hours. Until we were interrupted.  
  
Miranda.  
  
***  
  
One more chapter to go!  
  
Nesserz. 


	14. Chapter 14

~Always and Forever~  
  
Disclaimer: My last one! Woo hoo! I don't own it incase you didn't pick up on that fact. You did didn't you? Oh please tell me that you did.  
  
"Miranda, hi." I said standing up quickly; Gordo chose to stay on the ground. I brushed myself off, thinking that I must look a little dishevelled.  
  
"You two certainly made up fast." She said the coolness in her voice extremely evident. I gulped.  
  
"Listen Miranda we just-"  
  
"It's about time you two got your act together." She said, a smile making its way onto her face. I couldn't believe it. I wanted to cry with joy. I had my two best friends back and I also had a legit boyfriend. At least I think I did.  
  
I walked over to Miranda and enveloped her into a massive hug and jumped around with her like I had done just over a fortnight ago. It seemed like so much longer than that though.  
  
"Miranda I-"  
  
What is with this girl and cutting me off?!  
  
"I don't want to hear it Lizzie, I heard enough of it today, you were gr4eat standing up there telling everyone what you thought about popularity. So I take it that you are reading to join us little people again?"  
  
"You bet I am. I've had enough of popularity for the rest of my life." I said rolling my eyes.  
  
***  
  
Dear Diary, Well it's been a week since Miranda, Gordo and I made up, Gordo and me in more ways that one. Wink wink. Miranda thinks it is amazing and is planning dates for us. Like we can't do that ourselves! She sent us on a romantic candle lit dinner last Saturday. It was so amazing; we even had a moonlit walk on the beach afterward. It was perfect.  
  
Everything is back on track now. I'm so much happier, Mum has noticed too, now she thinks something is wrong because I'm too happy. Is there such a thing? Too happy? I guess if there is, it's me right now. She knows about Gordo and me. I told her the same night that we made up. She was really happy for me and she promised to tell my Dad and make him promise not to go mental at the whole situation and I must say, she did her job really well. Dad didn't even smash a coffee mug when Gordo and I walked in after school one-day holding hands. He just smiled at us and took Gordo aside while I prepared us a snack. I was a little worried for Gordo's safety but he came back smiling. It was my Dad who looked like he was in danger. He walked out to the back porch, coffee in hand, mouth wide open muttering to him self.  
  
I asked Gordo what happened and he said that my Dad had tried to give him the "If you hurt my daughter" talk but Gordo had cut him off by telling him that he loved me and that he wouldn't dream of hurting me. Intentionally at least.  
  
I squealed and hugged Gordo harder than I ever have before, just because I was so happy and because he had set my Dad straight. No other boy I knew had ever bothered before. Gordo cares about me so much and I him. I wouldn't change anything that we have together for anything. It just wouldn't be right.  
  
Oh yeah before I forget. The Kate and Ethan front. Apparently after I had my little rant (as Kate called it when she spoke to me later) Kate marched up to Ethan and planted a kiss right on his mouth in front of everyone. I wish I had seen it! I would pay good money to have seen it too! I am gutsier than I ever used to be but I would never kiss a guy in front of the whole cafeteria! Even Gordo. Ok well maybe Gordo.  
  
So they are an item now. Kate is so much happier. But you know what the funny thing is? People know that they are going out but Kate doesn't seem to be popular. Infact, she and Ethan have been hanging out with us a little bit and they haven't been hanging with their "people" when doing so. Oh wow. I thought that when I stopped being popular, Kate would go right back to her throne but she hasn't. Maybe she decided that popularity wasn't for her either.  
  
They are so happy together, they are the perfect couple. They will probably get prom king and queen when we are seniors. It's just the way things are.  
  
I for one am just glad that things are back to normal.  
  
Lizzie.  
***  
  
ThE EnD LaDiEs AnD GeNtS!  
  
And so we come to the end of my story. Hope you enjoyed it. I know it was a bit rushed but I want to get started on another one! Harry Potter this time.  
  
This fic was rather rushed as I didn't have that many ideas for it and when I did, I kept forgetting them, didn't I Andi?! Lol. So since I am so hyped up about Harry Potter and The Prisoner Of Azkaban, I shall be writing a Harry based fic next. It will probably be fluff filled. I'm an avid Ron/Hermione fan but I seem to have run dry with ideas for fics about them so I am going to try my hand at a Harry/Ginny. As I believe they are the next best thing. Wish me luck!  
  
Thank you very much for those precious people who reviewed. I've found it easiest to write Lizzie McGuire fics cos I dunno.maybe cos I'm obsessed with the show and have watched the episodes over and over so I guess I can think the way that Lizzie does lol.  
  
Thank you to the person who said that they could see my story as an actual episode! It makes me feel so special!!!! Lol. Gotta love you guys.  
  
~~Nesserz.  
  
A/N: Uploading my new story after this chapter! 


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